Dallas City beats Fort Worth, 3-1, Trinity River Cup currently tied at 3-3

After an intense, injury and yellow card filled match, Dallas City has three key points towards their playoff push and the Trinity River Cup is tied after the home team won, 3-1, leaving the series tied at 3-3.

With all that was on the match, the intensity should not have been a surprise. Fort Worth actually started brighter, getting the first few chances before Dallas City got on the front foot about fifteen minutes into the game, and then got the opening goal moments later.

In the 18th minute, Zach Adler had a look from about 20 yards out, straight out from the Vaqueros' goal mouth and put a strong shot in the upper right corner for the first goal of the game.

Fort Worth responded with a few chances until VcMor Eligwe picked up a knock in a collision with a Dallas City player around the 24th minute. While Fort Worth still had chances, the danger level was not the same after this.

In the 28th minute, Dallas City had earned a free kick from distance and served the ball into the area. On the ensuing play in the Fort Worth area, the referee called a penalty kick for a foul in the box. Adler stepped up to take the shot and finished the chance with power, once again scoring into the right side of the Fort Worth goal.

The hosts once again withstood the pressure from the Vaqueros until the 39th minute, when the referee called a penalty kick for Fort Worth after the visitors worked the ball into the area with pace and a Dallas City defender was forced to foul. Anthony Powell stepped up to take the penalty and scored with a confident shot into the lower left corner.

In the 42nd minute, Dallas City earned a free kick close to the edge of the Fort Worth penalty area. The Fort Worth goal-keeper saved the initial shot, but was only able to parry it rather than control it. The rebound fell to an onrushing Kevin Olali who made no mistake in slotting the rebound into the left side of the net for a 3-1 lead for the home team.

After halftime, Eligwe was subbed off and while the second half was also eventful, there were no more goals to be had in the match.

The second half started with end to end action as both teams got chances early, but neither team could finish the opportunities. Powell, who was the Man of the Match in the June 8 contest between these teams in Fort Worth, was not able to be as effective. Beyond his penalty kick in the first half, the attacker was limited in opportunities and did not get his own serious look at goal until the 62nd minute.

Fort Worth certainly had their chances to claw their way back into the match. Cody Ellis was one of three Vaqueros to take shots that hit the frame of the Dallas City goal in the second half, but the visitors could not get a second goal.

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In the 86th minute, Dallas City's Tristan Adams was shown a red card for a foul involving exposed cleats. The resulting free kick was just outside the area, and the shot from Fort Worth was just over the crossbar. In the 90th minute, the Vaqueros had another chance on a long ball that found a forward in the area, but once again the shot did not find the mark.

In addition to the red card, there were at least six yellow cards issued in the game. There was some confusion in the stands about a yellow card in the 73rd minute to Kristian Quintana, as some fans thought the Dallas City midfielder had gotten a yellow card in the 17th minute for a foul, but that card was actually issued to a Fort Worth player for dissent after Quintana had been called for a foul.

After five minutes of stoppage time, the match ended with the score 3-1 for the hosts. Dallas City now have two points on the Laredo Heat for the last playoff spot while Fort Worth have sit in third place, two points behind Midland-Odessa and unable to catch the Denton Diablos for first place. As for the Trinity River Cup, the teams said they consider the series tied and will wait to see if there is a possible matchup in the playoffs that they will use to decide the winner.

3rd Degree is an independent, North Texas soccer blog with a focus on FC Dallas.(Buzz Carrick / 3rd Degree)

Kevin Lindstrom. An original fan of the Dallas Burn, Kevin began writing the original MLS Power Rankings for the team listserve in 1996 and was invited to write them for 3rd Degree soon thereafter.
His journalism career began at Texas A&M where he got a BS in Journalism. He has covered a wide array of stories, including the police beat for the Temple Daily Telegram to FC Dallas for MLSSoccer.com.